Manchester Metropolitan University

About: Manchester Metropolitan University is a education organization based out in Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Context (language use). The organization has 5435 authors who have published 16202 publications receiving 442561 citations. The organization is also known as: Manchester Polytechnic & MMU.

Oxygen uptake kinetics during moderate, heavy and severe intensity "submaximal" exercise in humans: the influence of muscle fibre type and capillarisation.

Abstract: The purpose of the present study was to test the hypothesis that muscle fibre type influences the oxygen uptake (.VO(2)) on-kinetic response (primary time constant; primary and slow component amplitudes) during moderate, heavy and severe intensity sub-maximal cycle exercise. Fourteen subjects [10 males, mean (SD) age 25 (4) years; mass 72.6 (3.9) kg; .VO(2peak) 47.9 (2.3) ml kg(-1) min(-1)] volunteered to participate in this study. The subjects underwent a muscle biopsy of the vastus lateralis for histochemical determination of muscle fibre type, and completed repeat "square-wave" transitions from unloaded cycling to power outputs corresponding to 80% of the ventilatory threshold (VT; moderate exercise), 50% (heavy exercise) and 70% (severe exercise) of the difference between the VT and .VO(2peak). Pulmonary .VO(2) was measured breath-by-breath. The percentage of type I fibres was significantly correlated with the time constant of the primary .VO(2) response for heavy exercise (r=-0.68). Furthermore, the percentage of type I muscle fibres was significantly correlated with the gain of the .VO(2) primary component for moderate (r=0.65), heavy (r=0.57) and severe (r=0.57) exercise, and with the relative amplitude of the .VO(2) slow component for heavy (r=-0.74) and severe (r=-0.64) exercise. The influence of muscle fibre type on the .VO(2) on-kinetic response persisted when differences in aerobic fitness and muscle capillarity were accounted for. This study demonstrates that muscle fibre type is significantly related to both the speed and the amplitudes of the .VO(2) response at the onset of constant-load sub-maximal exercise. Differences in contraction efficiency and oxidative enzyme activity between type I and type II muscle fibres may be responsible for the differences observed.

Validation of a questionnaire measuring patient satisfaction with general practitioner services

Abstract: Background —In order that patient satisfaction may be assessed in a meaningful way, measures that are valid and reliable are required. This study was undertaken to assess the construct validity and internal reliability of the previously developed Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire (PSQ). Method —A total of 1390 patients from five practices in the North of England, the Midlands, and Scotland completed the questionnaire. Responses were checked for construct validity (including confirmatory factor analysis to check the factor structure of the scale) and internal reliability. Results —Confirmatory factor analysis showed that items loaded on the appropriate factors in a five factor model (doctors, nurses, access, appointments, and facilities). Scores on the specific subscales showed highly significant positive correlations with general satisfaction subscale scores suggesting construct validity. Also, the prediction (derived from past research) that older people would be more satisfied with the service was borne out by the results (F (4, 1312) = 57.10; p<0.0001), providing further construct validation. The five specific subscales (doctors, nurses, access, appointments, and facilities), the general satisfaction subscale, and the questionnaire as a whole were found to have high internal reliability (Cronbach's α = 0.74–0.95). Conclusion —The results suggest that the PSQ is a valid and internally reliable tool for assessing patient satisfaction with general practitioner services. ( Quality in Health Care 2000; 9 :210–215)

Advanced Hierarchical Vesicular Carbon Co-Doped with S, P, N for High-Rate Sodium Storage.

Abstract: Hierarchical nanoscale carbons have received wide interest as electrode materials for energy storage and conversion due to their fast mass transfer processes, outstanding electronic conductivity, and high stability. Here, heteroatom (S, P, and N) doped hierarchical vesicular carbon (HHVC) materials with a high surface area up to 867.5 m2 g-1 are successfully prepared using a surface polymerization of hexachloro-cyclotriphosphazene (HCCP) and 4,4'-sulfonyldiphenol (BPS) on the ZIF-8 polyhedrons. Significantly, it is the first time to achieve a controllability of the wall thickness for this unique carbon, ranging from 18 to 52 nm. When utilized as anodes for sodium ion batteries, these novel carbon materials exhibit a high specific capacity of 327.2 mAh g-1 at 100 mA g-1 after 100 cycles, which can be attributed to the expanded interlayer distance and enhanced conductivity derived from the doping of heteroatoms. Importantly, a high capacity of 142.6 mAh g-1 can be obtained even at a high current density of 5 A g-1, assigning to fast ion/electronic transmission processes stemming from the unique hierarchical vesicular structure. This work offers a new route for the fabrication/preparation of multi-heteroatom doped hierarchical vesicular materials.

How Effective Are Fiscal Incentives to Attract FDI to Sub-Saharan Africa?

Abstract: Given the role of foreign direct investment in the development process, one of the most important challenges facing Africa is how to attract foreign direct investment. A number of attempts have been made, but most have been unsuccessful because of various factors that work against the business environment for foreign investment. This paper analyses the impact of fiscal incentives, the most popular instrument, for attracting foreign investment to Sub-Saharan Africa. It uses cross-sectional time series data on 16 Sub-Saharan African countries, and an econometric model of three proxies of fiscal incentive, after controlling for traditional and other policy variables. The results show that traditional variables and government policies to attract foreign investment to Africa are important. Of the fiscal incentives, tax holidays seem to be the most significant. What could also be important are political and macroeconomic stability at the national and regional levels, property rights protection and other investment-supporting regulations and improvements in infrastructure and service support systems.